Takamoto Katsuta at SS13 Sleeping Warrior/ HANDOUT
After a bruising morning loop on Day Three of the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally, Takamoto Katsuta has stressed the need for razor-sharp focus if Toyota are to maintain their grip on the punishing African classic.
Katsuta surged to the top of the overall standings after early leader Oliver Solberg and second-placed Sebastien Ogier were both forced into retirement during the morning session following mechanical trouble.
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The Japanese driver now leads the rally with a cumulative time of 2:14:56.7, but the pressure is mounting fast with Hyundai duo Thierry Neuville (2:16:04.2) and Adrien Fourmaux (2:16:04.9) breathing down on his neck as the battle intensifies heading into the afternoon stages.
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The morning loop of Day Three roared into life at Soysambu (SS11), where Solberg clocked 15:18.9 to top the timesheets, followed by Elfyn Evans (15:22.0), Fourmaux (15:33.9) and Katsuta (15:36.2) in a tightly contested opening run.
However, drama erupted on SS12 Elementaita, where mechanical gremlins and controversy over stage modifications rocked the field.
Several drivers voiced frustration after organisers altered sections of the course following the reconnaissance run.
The organisers, however, defended the decision, insisting the changes were necessary to maintain the integrity of the stage.
“Following completion of reconnaissance on SS12/15 and SS13/16, it became clear that competitors were substantially deviating from the defined roadway. As a result, and in accordance with Article 19.2 of the FIA WRC Sporting Regulations, the organisers installed barriers and additional taping over the final 1.13km of SS12/15 and the final 0.9km of SS13/16 in order to ensure compliance with the defined route,” an FIA spokesperson explained.
“Following the installation of these measures, the Clerk of the Course issued Communication No. 8 at 17:45 on March 13, informing competitors of the changes. This was followed by the distribution of video footage of the amended sections to all competitors, in line with standard practice at FIA World Rally Championship events, providing crews with sufficient time to review the changes and adjust their pace notes accordingly.”
On the stage itself, Ogier posted the fastest time of 11:16.3, followed by Fourmaux (11:24.4), Neuville (11:30.1), Esapekka Lappi (11:30.2) and Katsuta (11:35.3) to round out the top five with Evans forced to retirement after a puncture on the rear tire.
Solberg did not hide his frustration after the stage.
“What Organiser and FIA have done at the end is unacceptable. Putting sticks after recce, sending us a phone video and now all the sticks are gone. There are rocks everywhere, it’s dangerous,” he said.
Evans was equally angry.
“It’s an absolute joke. They put all these things at the finish to stop us cutting after the recce and now the stones are everywhere. I just went for the line and got a double puncture. It’s ridiculous. Completely out of order.”
Katsuta also admitted the late changes disrupted the crews’ preparations.
“After recce you cannot change the road or anything on the stage because we already made pace notes,” he said.
“The problem is there are many places where you cut from the route. That’s why they put poles at the end of the stages which affected our pace notes.”
The Toyota driver revealed crews were forced to revise their notes late on Friday night.
“We had to change our pace notes last night from the organisers’ videos, which was not ideal."
“Especially with this tricky rally you never know where the rocks are, you can easily get a puncture. That is why a lot of people got punctures.”
Katsuta himself was not spared the punishment.
“I was not happy, I got two punctures.”
With the brutal Safari still throwing up surprises, Katsuta expects another punishing loop in the afternoon as crews return to tackle the same three stages.
“I think the afternoon is still going to be tricky, but you never know how it will be,” he said.
“Anything can happen today and tomorrow, so we need to stay focused.”
At the final stage of the morning session SS13 Sleeping Warrior 1, Ogier claimed the win posting 11:32.3 with M-Sport Ford's Jon Armstrong (11:48.5) and Katsuta (12:01.7) rounding the podium.
It was the Sleeping Warrior stage that Solberg and Ogier were retired after issues with their alternator.
The afternoon session will see the drivers tackle SS14 Soysambu 2, SS15 Elementaita 2 and close the day at SS16 Sleeping Warrior 2.
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